Amnesty International Calls For Investigations into the Status of 9 Political Prisoners in Iran

August 3rd, 2011 – In a statement issued on Wednesday, Amnesty International appealed for the immediate and unconditional release of 9 ailing political prisoners in Iran so that they may receive the necessary medical treatment they badly require. Isa Saharkhiz and Ahmad Zeidababi were two of the political prisoners listed in Amnesty International’s statement.

According to the statement by this human rights organization, there are currently at least 9 political prisoners suffering from serious physical ailments in Iran’s prisons and requiring immediate medical attention. The following 9 political prisoners were named in the statement: Isa Saharkhiz, Mohmmad Sadigh Kaboudvand, Ayatollah Boroujerdi, Zahra Jabari, Koroush Kouhkan, Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, Ahmade Zeidabadi, Saeed Matinpour and Heshmatollah Tabarzad.

All aforementioned political prisoners with the exception of Saeed Matinpour, Mohammad Sadigh Kaboudvand and Ayatollah Boroujerdi were arrested and incarcerated as a result of the widespread demonstrations that took place after the presidential elections in 2009.

According to Amnesty International’s recent statement these political prisoners have been incarcerated only because they chose to exercise their right to freedom of expression and assembly.

Amnesty International also confirms that although Mohammad Sadigh Kaboudvand suffered two strokes in 2010, he was nevertheless deprived of any appropriate medical care.

Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, the former editor of the weekly newsletter “Payame Daneshjoo”, arrested on Ashura during the the post election demonstrations, has also remained behind bars without a single day of furlough since his arrest.

In the past few weeks various reports have been published on the deteriorating physical conditions of several political prisoners. Though the families of these prisoners have complained repeatedly regarding the lack of attention by the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the medical needs of their loved ones, to date, the State and prison authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran have shown little to no reaction to such reports.